This group of soldiers, who had horses on their arms and people on their fists, barged into the "public kitchen" while swearing. They first went to the kitchen, lifted the rice buckets, snatched the vegetable pots, and walked out under the dumbfounded gazes of the fat chefs. They sat down on the seats of the officials and petty officials.
These soldiers all had big bellies, and their table manners were very ugly. They didn't even use bowls and directly used spoons to scoop rice from the rice buckets. They held plates of vegetables and drank soup. When the officials and bailiffs of the Ministry of Revenue saw this group of rough men, each with fists the size of a bowl and could break them with one punch, they didn't dare to step forward.
At this time, the Minister of Revenue and two assistant ministers, who had arrived late, heard the news and quickened their steps. When they arrived at the dining hall, they saw dozens of burly men scattered in the public kitchen, splashing soup and rice grains flying. They couldn't help but fly into a rage.
The Minister of Revenue relied on the fact that he was a third-rank official in the court, so these soldiers didn't dare to be impudent to him. He shouted, "How dare you! Do you still have the law? You dare to trespass the Ministry of Revenue and rob the public kitchen? Such audacity, this official will not let you off lightly. Where are you old soldiers? Quickly report your identities and origins! "
An old soldier's table manners were ugly. It was obvious that he had swallowed the chicken drumstick. He burped and gulped down a mouthful of vegetable soup to calm his breath. Then he looked at him and said, "You talk big. Who are you?"
The Minister of Revenue puffed out his chest and said, "This official's surname is An. I am the Minister of the Prefectural Yamen!"
"You are An Lingyu?"
The old soldier glared at him and pointed his half-eaten chicken drumstick at Minister An's face. He roared, "The person I'm looking for is you!"
"An Lingyu! He's that dog official! Beat him up, son of a b * tch! "
The soldiers were in an uproar, for a moment, chicken bones, fish tails, vegetable soup and empty rice buckets were smashed towards Minister An like a torrential rain. Minister An turned pale with fright, he covered his face with his sleeves and broke into a run, a pile of rubbish chased after him and smashed out. A few minor officials who were loyal and sincere in protecting their master rushed forward to protect An Lingyu, everyone was splashed with vegetable soup.
Minister An had never suffered such great humiliation before. The vegetable soup flowed down his neck and spread to his back. There was a piece of spinach stuck to his forehead, and a complete fishbone stuck to his head. He was so angry that his entire body was trembling. "What a disgrace, what a disgrace! You dare to beat up an official of the imperial court, this official and you … "
One of the soldiers shifted his huge buttocks, scaring Minister An into running away again before he could finish speaking. The soldier let out a loud fart and picked up a chicken butt to chew on. Minister An was relieved to see that he was not being chased.
The Right Assistant Minister Liu Qing did not participate in the operation to make things difficult for the 'Thousand Horsemen'. By this time, he had already guessed who had come. He hurriedly suppressed his laughter and pretended to be worried. "Minister, are you alright? These old soldiers are clearly … cough, cough, what do you think we should do now? "
Minister An trembled as he pointed at the kitchen and ordered, "Call more bailiffs over and tie them up for me!"
The Left Assistant Minister Qiu Lingzhi covered his mouth and coughed. Minister An immediately came to his senses. The cause was because they were making things difficult for the 'Thousand Horsemen'. If this matter was blown up, it would definitely reach the imperial court. Even if they had to go, they would have to let Yang Fan complain. If the matter was blown up now, the Ministry of Revenue would lose the initiative. Minister An immediately changed his words. "Beat them out! Beat them out! "
Minister An gave the order, but which of the bailiffs and bailiffs had the courage to charge into the kitchen? The soldiers of the Imperial Army were all tall and sturdy. One of them could easily take on ten. The 'Thousand Horsemen' were the most outstanding group of soldiers selected from the Imperial Army. Each of them was tall and sturdy, their muscles bulging like hills.
It was nearing the beginning of summer. Coupled with the fact that they were eating, their bodies were hot. These large men had taken off their robes and wrapped them around their waists. Their arms were bulging with muscles that were thicker than the thighs of the average person. Their chest muscles were so broad that it seemed as if two boulders were stuck to it. The muscles on their shoulders were twisted like dragons. It seemed like they could tear a cow in half. Fight with them? Wasn't that playing with their lives?
The group of bailiffs and bailiffs only cared about crowding at the door and making a ruckus. Their buttocks were arched back, and their feet did not move. The soldiers saw that they did not dare to enter and did not speak. They only cared about eating and drinking.
Minister An froze there, not knowing what to do. The Left Assistant Minister Qiu Lingzhi advised in a low voice, "Minister, there is no need to pay attention to these rough soldiers. Let them be arrogant for now. When they leave, we can ask them about their origins and directly question their generals."
Minister An had no choice but to nod his head.
The soldiers ate everything in the kitchen and walked out one by one, burping. As they walked out, the Ministry of Revenue officials who were watching suddenly scattered to the left and right. These soldiers also took out a stalk of grass from somewhere. As they picked their teeth, they swayed their arms lazily as they walked out.
These people did not leave the kitchen after they left. They actually went to the door of the main hall of the Ministry of Revenue. They sat on the stone steps and basked in the sun. Minister An was dumbfounded. He said in surprise, "What else do they want to do?"
Assistant Minister Qiu's eyes turned and he said to Minister An in a low voice, "Minister, I'm afraid we can't pretend to be confused anymore. Quickly send someone to question that Yang Fan. If he dares to sit and do nothing, then he is condoning the soldiers to disturb the Ministry of Revenue. Even if we go to the Emperor to complain, we will still be in the right!"
Minister An gritted his teeth hatefully and said, "You go! Immediately go to the 'Thousand Cavalry' camp and tell that Yang Fan to come and restrain his subordinates! "
Assistant Minister Qiu said in shock, "This official is going?"
An Shangshu glared at him and said, "If you don't go, am I supposed to go?"
Minister An waved his sleeve and turned to leave. Assistant Minister Qiu thought about going to the barracks to see that group of rough men and was also afraid. When he turned his head, he just happened to see Minister of Granary Zheng Zhongbo standing to the side with a 'distressed' expression.
Assistant Minister Qiu was overjoyed and quickly pointed at him. He said, "Minister Zheng, quickly whip the horse and go to the 'Thousand Cavalry Camp' to explain the situation. Tell that Yang Fan must restrain his troops. Otherwise, we will go to the Emperor to report him for condoning his subordinates and disturbing the Ministry of Revenue!"
Minister Zheng was starving. He did not expect that disaster would fall from the sky and that he would have to deal with those rough men in the army. His face immediately twisted into the shape of a steamed bun. With a distressed expression, he said, "Assistant Minister Qiu, this official …"
"Go!"
Qiu Lingzhi waved his large sleeve and imitated Minister An as he swaggered off. Zheng Zhongbo stared dumbly at Assistant Minister Qiu's back. With a distressed expression, he turned his head. The officials and yamen laborers beside him all ran far away. They shouted to each other, "Let's go, let's go to the Luo River's embankment and eat something!" The group of people immediately scattered like birds and beasts.
Minister Zheng sighed with a distressed expression and unhappily went to prepare the horses.
…
When the Ministry of Revenue officials who had a careless lunch at the food stalls by the Luo River's embankment returned to the yamen, they found that the soldiers were still sitting on the steps and basking in the sun. Fortunately, they did not cause any trouble, so the officials were slightly relieved.
Very quickly, the lunch break was over. The bell rang and the yamen went to work. The officials from the various prefectures and other yamens that had come to the Ministry of Revenue to handle affairs walked in one after another. The soldiers who had rested for a day and had already digested their lunch saw the people from the various departments and yamens enter the Ministry of Revenue and immediately became spirited.
A large man pointed at the scars on his body and painfully complained, "Everyone, come and see! I am a member of the Imperial Army. I have fought for the court, killed enemies, and performed meritorious deeds. But now, I can't even pay my salary. If the Imperial Army can't pay their salary, I'm afraid this court is finished! "
Another soldier took out a black bread from his bosom and held it in his hand. He complained in grief and indignation, "Look, look, it's right and proper to be a soldier and eat their salary! But my whole family can only eat this to survive. I pity my eighty year old mother and my three month old child. They have no way to survive! "
"My family can't even eat this kind of bread. The Ministry of Revenue says we don't have money or food. Everyone, look, this is the food the Ministry of Revenue's people prepared for lunch today. Look, there's chicken, duck, fish, and meat. Even a petty official eats better than what my family ate during the New Year!"
It was unknown who brought out a few cold dishes of leftover soup as if performing a magic trick. A gathering of grievances was held in front of the Ministry of Revenue. The people from the other yamens who had come to handle affairs wanted the Ministry of Revenue to be as lively as possible. Besides, the food the soldiers brought out was truly unbelievably good. People didn't worry about scarcity, but they worried about inequality. How could they feel that it was fair?
Even those who had requests from the Ministry of Revenue and couldn't openly express sympathy for these soldiers could only shake their heads and sigh with a sad expression. Everything was said without words. This made the Minister, who was hiding in the great hall and peeking out through a crack in the door, feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.
He didn't dare to go out because these soldiers would really dare to cause trouble and beat him up. If the dignified Minister of Revenue was beaten up by a group of soldiers in front of his own yamen, he would lose a lot of face.
Minister An didn't dare go out, but he couldn't stand the soldiers causing trouble. He was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Right now, he could only hope that Yang Fan would quickly come to the Ministry of Revenue and take the troublemaking soldiers back.
As Minister An raised his head in anticipation, Yang Fan finally arrived. Minister Zheng's cheeks were swollen, his clothes were in disarray, and his hair was disheveled. It was as if he had been raped as he led Yang Fan in.
When Minister Zheng arrived at the Thousand Riders' camp, he had someone report in. When the soldiers heard he was from the Ministry of Revenue, they immediately turned hostile. A group of soldiers pounced on him and slapped his face a few times. Minister Zheng became dizzy and didn't know what to do. Following that, he suffered a number of punches and kicks and was ravaged by a group of soldiers like a bundle of crop stalks for a while. Only then did Yang Fan arrive.
Fortunately, these soldiers remembered General Yang's warnings and didn't act too harshly. Although Minister Zheng was in a sorry state, his injuries weren't serious. Minister Zheng angrily and hatefully told Yang Fan why he had come. Yang Fan immediately flew into a rage and immediately ordered people to drag away all the soldiers who had beaten the court officials and give them military beatings.
It was a pity that Minister Zheng didn't see the scene of those crude soldiers being spanked because Yang Fan had already impatiently led his horse over and was about to go with him to the Ministry of Revenue to recall those daring soldiers. Minister Zheng could only lead Yang Fan back to the Ministry of Revenue at top speed. As for his sorry state, he intentionally didn't tidy it up along the way. He wanted to let his superior see just how much he had suffered for the Ministry of Revenue.
"Who is it? Who is it? Who has the audacity to disturb the Ministry of Revenue? "
Yang Fan raised his horsewhip and angrily charged into the Ministry of Revenue. Minister An, who had been hiding in the main hall of the Ministry of Revenue and didn't even dare to open the door, saw Yang Fan arrive and immediately acted as if he had seen his savior. He quickly made his clothes even more disheveled and hurriedly opened the door. With quick steps, he walked out and said without a word, "General Yang, you … have finally arrived!"
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